“Yes,” Harbin said. “Threats against the Terrans have emerged.”
“Well, at least you will have meditation time, Wrathin,” Kian said. The words popped out, irritated that Wrathin could so easily find his balance. It was something that Kian had a hard time reaching.
“You could use some,” Wrathin replied.
He wasn't wrong. Now, however, this process seemed wrong. Like something was waiting in the ether of space to…
He did not know, but his instincts strongly suggested this was not what he thought.
“Calm,” Harbin replied. “Keep sharp, everyone.”
“Do you suspect a trap?” Wrathin asked.
“I suspect everything,” Harbin replied.
Good. He wasn't the only one suspecting deception in the parameters.
If Harbin, their oldest team member, felt this mission would require more than just functioning as an escort, then it likely was true. Harbin had strong instincts about these things.
Kian tapped the control panel under his fingers. His cybernetics linked up to the vessel. The lysteel that comprised his suit also morphed into the ship, so he was part of the machine, more than just a pilot.
Kian's upgraded design kept the connection to Master System and the fighter's protocols perfectly aligned.
It seemed like Master System flew the ship, not him. Because many of the actions were neural and required a thought command, Kian didn't move more than a couple of centimeters at a time. Barely a head-turn was necessary to control the ship or restructure it.
One of the few things that Kian did not have tofeelto do. His emotions filtered into many of his actions, including his interactions with Wrathin. They should be able to get along. Kian should not be so emotional around Wrathin.
What that feeling was, he could not name.
But it made things difficult.
“Who is the Ambassador?” Jedriek asked. “The Terran’s name.”
“Her Imperial Highness Princess Caoimhe London Montgale Bron,” Harbin said. “And her companions.”
“Do they all have names like that?” Bahran asked.
“The Terrans like their titles,” Harbrin replied. “We will make certain the Ambassador’s entourage is safely brought to Sol-3. No matter what.”
“Execute,” all of them said in unison.
Kian studied the lines of the sizeable Terran ship.
He couldn't see anything that looked wrong.
The Terran cruiser was large, but the layout designated it for transport. The external weapons were minimized.
Scans showed that it was armed, but not as heavily as a warship with multiple interior sections with a low crew complement.
In the rear quadrant, however, he could not scan beyond the hull.
Master System. What is that hull made of?
A pause as Master System accessed and analyzed the scans.
Refined thomarian blast ore.
Refined with what?Kian wondered. Since when was thomarian blast ore impenetrable to scans? While known to be one of the strongest metals for ship hulls, it was not impenetrable.
